Epsom Handicap Racing Tips – Autumn Boy to land the time-honoured Epsom, while lightweight can threaten

Autumn Boy brings arguably the strongest exposed Group 1 form into the race. The four-year-old was runner-up to Sheza Alibi in the Makybe Diva Stakes at Flemington last start, producing a figure more than nine lengths faster than standard benchmark. His record at 1600m is outstanding, with a Caulfield Guineas victory and three Group 1 seconds, all behind Sheza Alibi, including the Randwick Guineas and Doncaster Mile. With that mare absent on Saturday, Autumn Boy gets another opportunity to add a major mile to his record.

Well Written adds plenty of intrigue. The New Zealand mare arrives unbeaten after seven starts and has drawn favourably in barrier three. This represents a significant rise in pressure against established Australian Group 1 performers, but she has done everything asked of her to date and deserves her place near the top of the market.

Lady Shenandoah owns some of the strongest peak figures in the field and gets back to Randwick after finishing fourth in the Rupert Clarke Stakes. She was fourth in the George Ryder and runner-up in the Queen Of The Turf during the autumn and is capable of producing a Group 1-winning performance at her best.

Ceolwulf carries the 59kg topweight but has an outstanding Randwick mile record and could receive his preferred conditions if the forecast rain arrives. He was third in the 7 Stakes after previously finishing runner-up in the Chelmsford and should be approaching peak fitness.

Attica drops to 51.5kg after finishing third in the Tramway Stakes, while Tom Kitten has endured difficult runs this preparation and gets back to the distance of his All-Star Mile victory. Plymouth is another lightweight chance after producing an excellent figure at Flemington last start and carries only 50kg.

Mr Miller is one of the more interesting runners at double-figure odds. The four-year-old won his first two starts this preparation before finishing third in the Cameron Handicap at Newcastle. He was disadvantaged by a slow tempo and produced the fastest 400m-to-200m split despite things not unfolding ideally. He now gets to 1600m with only 50kg.

The large field should ensure genuine pressure into the first turn, although there is no obvious tearaway leader.

Autumn Boy has barrier one and should be able to hold a position without doing any work, while Well Written has similar options from barrier three. Attica and Mr Miller have enough tactical speed to settle within striking distance carrying light weights.

Lady Shenandoah is likely to have to come across from barrier 16, while the wide draws create more difficult assignments for some of those wanting cover.

Autumn Boy's inside draw gives James McDonald options, although the key will be finding clear running at the right time in a 19-horse field.

Autumn Boy gets his opportunity to land another Group 1 over 1600m. His mile record consists of a Caulfield Guineas victory and three Group 1 seconds, with Sheza Alibi responsible for defeating him on each of those occasions. She is absent here and Autumn Boy arrives third-up after an excellent second in the Makybe Diva Stakes, where he produced a figure more than nine lengths faster than standard benchmark. He won the Rosehill Guineas third-up during the autumn, draws barrier one and has James McDonald aboard. The four-year-old profile has traditionally been strong for this race and he looks ideally placed.

Mr Miller looks an interesting lightweight chance at double-figure odds. He was impressive winning his first two starts of the campaign before things went against him in the Cameron Handicap, where a slow early tempo and a difficult passage made his task considerably harder. He still produced the fastest 400m-to-200m split and finished third. The Chris Waller-trained four-year-old drops to 50kg and gets to 1600m, giving him the profile to take another significant step.

Plymouth is worth a speculative play at massive odds. He carries just 50kg and produced one of the strongest last-start benchmark figures in the field at Flemington. He improved significantly second-up during his autumn preparation and comes into the Epsom at the same stage this time around. This is a sizeable rise in grade, but the light weight and his capacity to improve make him one of the more interesting outsiders.